Postgraduate Financial Assistance Fund
The Postgraduate Financial Assistance Fund aims to provide financial assistance to current postgraduate students in unforeseen financial need, to enable them to complete their studies.
About the Fund
The Postgraduate Financial Assistance Fund can provide awards of up to £3,000 to current full time postgraduate students or £1,500 to current part time postgraduate students who are experiencing unforeseen financial difficulties and meet the eligibility criteria.
The fund classifies unforeseen financial difficulties as a financial situation which could not have been otherwise predicted or expected and prepared for during your time of study at the University.
Students on intermission are ineligible to receive support from the fund and should look into other means of support such as College Assistance.
Applications are carefully reviewed by the University Financial Assistance Sub-Committee and the application process is managed by the Student Funding and Fee Policy Team.
Students are welcome to apply to the fund between 1 October 2024 and 31 August 2025. The Fund is closed for the month of September.
Before you apply
Before applying to the fund, students should ensure they have applied to any Government, Funding Sponsor, College and Department resources which could assist their financial situation. Please view our Quick Links to see if these could assist you.
Quick Links
Application Process:
- Read carefully through the eligibility criteria to see if you are eligible to apply
- Discuss your application with your College Tutor and Academic Supervisor and share with them any necessary financial information requested
- Complete the application form online. You may use this PDF form to draft your answers to the questions. Please note paper forms will not be accepted unless in exceptional circumstances.
- Once your form is submitted, a copy of your application will be sent to your College Tutor and Academic Supervisor and they will be required to submit a supporting form. Please note, that if a form is not received within one month, your application may be rejected.
Please Apply Here
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants to the fund must be current registered postgraduate students of the University. The Financial Assistance Fund classifies current registered students as students who have not met their course requirements and who have not submitted their soft-bound thesis.
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Students must be matriculated (i.e. have a college) Postgraduate Students of the University of Cambridge, working towards their course requirements. Students studying for Award-Bearing courses with ICE who are not matriculated (i.e. do not have a College), are unfortunately not eligible for this fund, as most of these courses are under a year duration and the student should have appropriate finances as provided in their financial guarantee. In the same principle, matriculated students on a one-year course will not usually be eligible for these funds.
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Students on Intermission are ineligible for this fund.
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Students on the following courses are ineligible to apply to the fund:
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Non-award (degree) bearing courses at the Institute for Continuing Education
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Diplomas
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Postgraduate Certificate and Master of Studies, which are less than 9 months in length
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Higher Doctoral
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Students who have completed their course requirements, (i.e. submitted softbound thesis are ineligible).
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Students may not apply within the last 6 weeks of their course. Those applying within the last 6 weeks of their course requirements are ineligible.
Financial assistance will not be provided for:
- Students who are on intermission
- Students who have not made adequate financial provision prior to starting their studies
- Students with access to savings of over £1,000 or alternative funding which could meet their shortfall
- Students with high living costs above the indicative amounts from PG admissions of £18,660 for 2024-25, without acceptable justification
- Students who are fully funded by an internal sponsor at the University. Fully funded is defined to mean in receipt of maintenance funding higher or equal to the indicative living amount for 2024/25 (£18,660) and fully funded tuition fees. i.e. Harding scholars or those funded by a research council.
- Students in the first term of their course
- Paying off debt or overdrafts
- Situations which were foreseen
- Situations which occurred before the current academic year
- Supporting family members or friends
- Tuition fees
- Medical costs
- College accommodation costs over the holidays, without an exceptional reason
- Childcare costs
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Visa costs
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Shortfalls higher than £4000, where there is no viable plan to meet the rest of the shortfall
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Applicants who have received the maximum award this academic year £3,000.
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Costs which have already been mitigated against by a previous award from the fund
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Support for students undertaking a fourth year of PhD study is available to those who have been subject to an unforeseen circumstance, after they have exhausted all other funding options, including possible funding from College, Department or external sponsors. The fund views a fourth year of PhD study as a reasonable expectation of undertaking a PhD and will not fund fourth years for those who have not experienced an unforeseen circumstance, impacting their completion date.
- Currency Fluctuations are not usually supported by the fund, unless there is a currency collapse. Please see our FAQs for more information.
- Students studying for Award-Bearing courses with ICE who are not matriculated (i.e. do not have a College), are unfortunately not eligible for this fund, as most of these courses are under a year duration and the student should have appropriate finances as provided in their financial guarantee. In the same principle, matriculated students on a one-year course will not usually be eligible for these funds.
Application Outcomes
You will be notified of the results of your application at the end of the following month after you have applied to the fund*. For example if you applied to the fund in October 2024, you should expect to receive an outcome by the 30 November 2024.
Please see the below table to clarify when you will receive an outcome:
You will be notified of your outcome via email.
*Please note, in cases where we are waiting for additional information, or in busy periods the length of time to be notified of the award may be extended.
Application Requirements
- Applications must be supported by statements submitted by a College Tutor and Academic Supervisor which confirm they have spoken to the student about their financial circumstances.
- College Tutors will request to see evidence of financial documentation regarding income and expenditure in order to provide their supporting statement. This is to verify information and to ensure that students are accessing all avenues of support.
- Applications require a supportive Supervisor statement which details your course progress. For cases citing extensions to PhDs, students will need a detailed Supervisor statement, which explains why an extension is necessary, what mitigations have been put in place and why they have not been sufficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible to apply for the fund?
Current postgraduate students, who have not submitted their soft-bound thesis are eligible to apply to the fund.
Unfortunately, the fund is unable to accept applications from non-matriculated students or students on the following courses:
- Non-award (degree) bearing courses at the Institute for Continuing Education
- Diplomas
- Postgraduate Certificate and Master of Studies, which are less than 9 months in length
- Higher Doctoral
How much support is available?
Eligible students can receive a grant of up to £3000 (Full time) or £1,500 (Part Time) (2024/25 rate) per academic year to assist with unforeseen financial difficulties.
When can I apply to the fund?
Students can apply to the fun any time between 1 October 2024 and 31 August 2025.
How many times can I apply to the Postgraduate Financial Assistance Fund?
There is no limit on the amount of applications you can make to the fund. However, the maximum amount that can be awarded per academic year is £3,000 (full time students) or £1,500 (for part time students) (2024/25 rate). If you have already received awards totalling the maximum award in an academic year, you will be ineligible to receive further funding.
Who do I contact regarding my application?
The Student Funding and Fee Policy Team manage the administration of the Postgraduate Financial Assistance Fund. Please contact them here: financialassistance@admin.cam.ac.uk
How do I find out what is happening with my application?
To check on the progress of your application, please contact financialassistance@admin.cam.ac.uk
How will my application be assessed?
We will assess your expected income against reasonable expenditure and annual indicative rates for living costs. Additionally, we will consider your application against our eligibility criteria and your CAMSIS record to determine if an award can be made.
When/how will I hear my outcome?
You will be notified of the results of your application at the end of the following month after you have applied to the fund. For example if you applied to the fund in October 2024, you should expect to receive an outcome at the end of November 2024.
Please see the below table to clarify when you will receive an outcome:
You will be notified of your outcome via email.
How will I receive my award?
Awards are paid to your college and your college will then reimburse you.
What is my payment reference?
This is made up of: Fund, USN and last name e.g. PG FAF 123456789 Smith
How do I appeal a decision?
If you are unhappy with the outcome you receive, please contact your College Tutor and/or Academic Supervisor in the first instance. Appeals can then be directed to the Student Funding Manager at financialassistance@admin.cam.ac.uk.
I have appealed my outcome. When will I hear back about this?
If an outcome has been appealed, it is sent to the University Financial Assistance Sub-Committee for re-consideration. Unfortunately, we are unable to give an exact timeframe as to when the outcome of an appeal will be made.
I have additional information in support of my application. Where shall I send this?
Please send any additional supporting information, which has not been included in your application, to: financialassistance@admin.cam.ac.uk
What is a currency collapse?
A devaluation of currency exchange rate of or equal to 20% or more, when checked by the Student Funding and Fee Policy Team over the course of the last month. Preference will be given to students whose money is in a currency experiencing a devaluation of 50% or more, or those on a course with a duration longer than 12 months.